Tacoma tranny: 6spd vs. auto
- Thread starter McFly2003
- Start date
surlydiesel
Adventurer
I used to stall my 2008 taco constantly. This was the 5spd and a 4 cylinder but I attributed the "drive by wire" lag as the issue. I would ease into the gas and nothing would happen and then it would go, so if I was on a hill, I would stall often. Made me feel really silly. No problem with the 01 I currently daily drive.
I drive a 2007 quad cab with an auto at work, it's a very smooth shifting auto and I like it a lot. I would not want to own an auto as my every day vehicle but I'd be fine with it as something my wife and I could share. She's not interested in learning manual. So yea, I'd get the manual. What's the point of driving if you aren't doing something that requires a bit of skill?
-jorge
I drive a 2007 quad cab with an auto at work, it's a very smooth shifting auto and I like it a lot. I would not want to own an auto as my every day vehicle but I'd be fine with it as something my wife and I could share. She's not interested in learning manual. So yea, I'd get the manual. What's the point of driving if you aren't doing something that requires a bit of skill?
-jorge
Plannerman
Wandering Explorer
X3 (and x4) for a friend. Both trucks ended up Lemon Law buy backs because of various clutch issues.
My AT has more than 90k on it and it is flawless.
Also, the concerns about the low range are legit. The low gear in the MT **********************. It was such a pain off road, when towing, and especially when backing up a trailer.
Finally, the AT gets about 10-15% better fuel economy than the MT.
Sent via fat thumb
juicebox
Adventurer
I had heard about various issues with the 6MT, the only bad thing I had really heard about the auto was it as boring to drive.
I never in 1 million years thought I would own a vehicle with an automatic transmission. However, from my research, I came to the conclusion that the auto was better for me. Truth be told, I hated slipping the clutch in Moab with my '02 tacoma. With my '06, low range crawling is absolutely awesome. It may be "boring" for some people, but constantly having to be on the clutch on slow technical trails was "frustrating" after a few hours on a trail.
...Not to mention the auto gets better mileage.
I never in 1 million years thought I would own a vehicle with an automatic transmission. However, from my research, I came to the conclusion that the auto was better for me. Truth be told, I hated slipping the clutch in Moab with my '02 tacoma. With my '06, low range crawling is absolutely awesome. It may be "boring" for some people, but constantly having to be on the clutch on slow technical trails was "frustrating" after a few hours on a trail.
...Not to mention the auto gets better mileage.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
I don't know why it would. That's exactly how I drive mine. In fact, I do a lot of "manual" shifting with my automatic, especially when towing. When approaching a long grade, for example, I'll try to drop it down to 4th or even 3rd before it goes there automatically. Since I have a SGII that shows ATF temperature, I've found that by manually shifting, the transmission, it doesn't heat up as much.
Plannerman
Wandering Explorer
I have an 06 Offroad with an Auto. I wheel alot with other people who are standard. I find when we get into really technical terrain, I have a HUGE advantage for navigating obstacles smooth. The standard guys all make it through, but I guarantee you, they are putting more strain on nearly everything in the process of jerking through some spots. Feathering the clutch isnt always perfect, and can make sticky situations much more stressful.
That being said standard is alot more fun for 2 track, forestry roads and mountain passes. My auto has all the benefits that a stardard does by shifting it like a standard, but it just is not as much fun
I say if you are looking for technical terrain, go AUTO or spend the $$ on a second transfer case. If technical isn't your thing, standard will leave a smile on your face.
That being said standard is alot more fun for 2 track, forestry roads and mountain passes. My auto has all the benefits that a stardard does by shifting it like a standard, but it just is not as much fun
I say if you are looking for technical terrain, go AUTO or spend the $$ on a second transfer case. If technical isn't your thing, standard will leave a smile on your face.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
The biggest problem I have with automatic transmissions is that modern automatics are so complicated they are hella expensive to repair or replace. And the worst part is, as the vehicle gets older and is worth less, the transmission still costs the same to fix.
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A $3,000 repair bill on a $20,000 truck is bad, but a $3000 repair bill on a $5000 truck makes you wonder if it would make more sense to just invest that money in a newer vehicle.
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A $3,000 repair bill on a $20,000 truck is bad, but a $3000 repair bill on a $5000 truck makes you wonder if it would make more sense to just invest that money in a newer vehicle.
Plannerman
Wandering Explorer
Generally, this has always been my rule, as well. However my experience with Tacoma MT convinced me that the MT is too unreliable to be worth the potential savings.
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Overlanerd
Vagabond Outdoors
I wish the 1st & 2nd gears were lower and 6th was higher (with everything else spread out accordingly). From what I've read, the RPM's on the auto at (70mph) are about 250 RPM's lower than the 6-speed. In heavy stop & go traffic, I find myself bogging in 2nd and over revving in 1st. Fortunately it's not my DD.
I do love it without traffic and off-road. I hardly use my brakes in 4-low and long descents are a piece of cake.
I wanted a short-bed, 4-door, compact truck with a locker and a manual transmission. The Tacoma is the only thing that fits the bill. The Frontier with the Nismo package only came with an auto (last time I checked).
Our last vehicle was a 2005 4Runner and I will say that the auto tranny was great. Still shifted perfectly at 160k miles. I think it's the same one Toyota uses in the Tacoma.
I do love it without traffic and off-road. I hardly use my brakes in 4-low and long descents are a piece of cake.
I wanted a short-bed, 4-door, compact truck with a locker and a manual transmission. The Tacoma is the only thing that fits the bill. The Frontier with the Nismo package only came with an auto (last time I checked).
Our last vehicle was a 2005 4Runner and I will say that the auto tranny was great. Still shifted perfectly at 160k miles. I think it's the same one Toyota uses in the Tacoma.
So I've been doing a lot of research over a few forums for the last few days and while I am still torn, all of the logical factors point to the auto. Better fuel economy, use in traffic for an inevitable move back to a metro area (DC/home, more than likely), a MUCH better maintenance track record, ease of use offroad, etc. The only two major arguments in the 6spd corner are a slight cost advantage if I buy new, and the fact that I just really want to get back into a manual.
I can curb my desire for fun and a manual buy riding a the triumph a bit more and getting back into a fun little project far a few years down the road.
At the end of the day, I do still plan on getting a good test drive in for both.
I can curb my desire for fun and a manual buy riding a the triumph a bit more and getting back into a fun little project far a few years down the road.
At the end of the day, I do still plan on getting a good test drive in for both.
I thought a manual Tacoma would be fun. I already have a 2011 FJ Cruiser. I bought a 2013 DCSB, 6 speed manual. It was fun for about a month. I got sick of it real quick though.
Annoying rev hang, super long throw shifter, extremely stiff clutch pedal and high revs on the highway over 70 mph. Add in the clutch squeak a few months down the road... Done.
Sucks in traffic, sucks on technical trails, sucks in deep sand on the beach. I know a lot of these problems could be fixed with some aftermarket parts, but that's not why I buy Toyotas. When I buy parts for my Toyotas its to increase performance, not fix a design flaw.
Sold it and bought a second FJ Cruiser. (With an auto) It's fine. Lots of people have two of the same truck. ��
Annoying rev hang, super long throw shifter, extremely stiff clutch pedal and high revs on the highway over 70 mph. Add in the clutch squeak a few months down the road... Done.
Sucks in traffic, sucks on technical trails, sucks in deep sand on the beach. I know a lot of these problems could be fixed with some aftermarket parts, but that's not why I buy Toyotas. When I buy parts for my Toyotas its to increase performance, not fix a design flaw.
Sold it and bought a second FJ Cruiser. (With an auto) It's fine. Lots of people have two of the same truck. ��
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
I'm a die hard manual transmission guy and I only reluctantly got a 4x4 with a slushbox in 2009 so my wife could drive it (funny thing is, 3 years later she bought a Jeep Wrangler with a manual.)
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I despised the A340 automatic in my '99 4runner. The loss in power and MPG was particularly noticeable to me since my previous vehicle had been a Tacoma with the same 3.4 V6 and a 5 speed manual.
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When I decided to get rid of the '99 because it didn't have enough power or range to tow my little teardrop, I seriously considered getting an Xterra for the simple reason that I could get it with a manual. But after thinking about it and test driving several vehicles (including an FJC with the 6 speed manual) I grudgingly had to admit that for my uses the automatic was the better choice.
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As much as I'd love to believe that the manual is better, absolutely every objective side-by-side comparison I've read regarding the Tacoma 6 speed and the 5 speed auto (which is the same transmission I have in my 4runner) has said the auto is the better one.
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Not sure why Toyota even bothered to offer a manual transmission in the Taco if they weren't going to make it a good one. Maybe it's just that the engine/tranny combo was designed to work best with the automatic (which they figured would be the transmission most people would choose) and the 6 speed manual was added in as a half-assed afterthought.
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I despised the A340 automatic in my '99 4runner. The loss in power and MPG was particularly noticeable to me since my previous vehicle had been a Tacoma with the same 3.4 V6 and a 5 speed manual.
.
When I decided to get rid of the '99 because it didn't have enough power or range to tow my little teardrop, I seriously considered getting an Xterra for the simple reason that I could get it with a manual. But after thinking about it and test driving several vehicles (including an FJC with the 6 speed manual) I grudgingly had to admit that for my uses the automatic was the better choice.
.
As much as I'd love to believe that the manual is better, absolutely every objective side-by-side comparison I've read regarding the Tacoma 6 speed and the 5 speed auto (which is the same transmission I have in my 4runner) has said the auto is the better one.
.
Not sure why Toyota even bothered to offer a manual transmission in the Taco if they weren't going to make it a good one. Maybe it's just that the engine/tranny combo was designed to work best with the automatic (which they figured would be the transmission most people would choose) and the 6 speed manual was added in as a half-assed afterthought.
misterquad
New member
I am a fan of the current automatics compared to the automatics from the 1970's because now you can utilize compression braking.
Commuting - I used to commute in LA traffic with a manual transmission and my old knees don't like that anymore.
Trails - I noticed the automatics are much smoother over obstacles. I prefer not to follow someone running a manual transmission whenever I go to the FJ Summits. I nicknamed the guy in front of me, "Clutchy" last year.
And based on my personal experiences, the biggest fans of manual transmissions were people changing from sports cars (commonly Subarus), over to FJs. I also noticed that people that are used to older 4x4 automatics don't realize that they can use compression braking and spend a lot on time on the braking when descending the mountains.
I really believe the technology and computers make the automatics better on the trail than manuals nowadays.
Commuting - I used to commute in LA traffic with a manual transmission and my old knees don't like that anymore.
Trails - I noticed the automatics are much smoother over obstacles. I prefer not to follow someone running a manual transmission whenever I go to the FJ Summits. I nicknamed the guy in front of me, "Clutchy" last year.
And based on my personal experiences, the biggest fans of manual transmissions were people changing from sports cars (commonly Subarus), over to FJs. I also noticed that people that are used to older 4x4 automatics don't realize that they can use compression braking and spend a lot on time on the braking when descending the mountains.
I really believe the technology and computers make the automatics better on the trail than manuals nowadays.
Martin, we have similar histories with yota's, it would seem. I had a S/C'd '01 with an auto. I disliked that tranny, but lived with it since the manuals were rather hard to come by and after supercharging it, it managed to be fun. All of my logical criteria is leading me to the auto, which may be the route I end up going with, and just pick up a toy down the road to row the gears in.
Side note, are you AF in Colorado? I'm deployed right now, but get back from the Stan here in a month or so. Stationed at USAFA